Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-10
Here nnd There.

At the military tournament in Lon
don the firing OF Calling guns, the
bridging of stream under fire, tho
laying Of line of rails for an artillery
engine and its use, we're actual illustra-
tions Of various features OF tho SOulan
campaign. The rapidity with which
all the field pieces can be fired, and the
murderous efficacy of the improved
Gatlings and the rapidity with which
soldiers can discharge their breech-
leaders, show that the military prepl-
rations in Europe have now reached
such q high state that war between
any of tine great powers would bs OF
necessity = very bloody and a very
brief one.
Acurous relic of bygone custom is
maintained at Williams College. 1t Is
a survival, too, which has the authority
Of law. st the commencement the
county's high sheriff, with his white
wand OF Office, leads the procession in
its various ovolutions, and finally, when
al is over, presents the diplomas. Talt
is, he intends to 10 50. Sometimes he
is oyorpowered by this position and
drops the most Of them. He must
ccmswilly-nilly; so says the law; SO
shys the writ OF election 50 he srear5
in his oath ofOflice. II is a quaint and
curious relic OF that once intimete an1
powerful connection between Church
aad State which is nOwsO little known.
After all, says the Nineteenth On
iuyy, this reduction OF prehistoric
bones and ivory 10 vulgar powders for
medicinal use IS not more strange than
tie fossil food which forms 50 large a
part OF tue daily bread OF multitudes
OF our fellow-creatures in Laplan1, Fin
land, and Sweden. in Carolina and
Florida, on the banks OF the OrinOco
and OF the Amazon, where vast tracks
OF earth are found composed wholly OF
myriads Of microscopic shells, aud this
strange mountain meal, being duly
mixed with meal of the nineteenth
century, is freely eaten by the people.
In Laplaud alone hundreds OF wagon
loads are annually dug from one great
field and there are men who eat as
much as a pound and half per diem
Of this curious cOndiment. We hear OF
fields, as yet uatouches, having been
discovered in Bohemia. Hungary, and
other parts OF Europe; SO, perhaps,
we may ere long add these primeyal
atoms 10 the delicacies OF our own ia
bles.
The passengers on the Union Pacific
overland train which arrived at Omaha
on the 2Sth of June witnessed thrill
ling scene the preceding day, near
Pine Bluffs station, west OF Sidney.
A herd of several thousand cattle, rang
ing north of the track, moving south,
we're excited by a thunderstorm and
became almest unmanageable. While
the train was approaching thunder
bolt descended in the midst OF the herd
and killed three of the animals. This
stampeded the herd, and, though
a score OF cowboys strove TO head
them of, the frightened mass rushed
forward, struggling across the track in
the path of the train. Involuntary
the engineer set the brakes but real
izing that he would ditch his train il he
ran slowly, he took of the brakes,
threw the throttle wide open, and
plunged into the herd at the rate OF
fifty-five miles an hour. A passenger
who described the scene says the steers
few in the air in all directions as the
engine struck them, and some struck
the roofs OF the passenger cars in their
descent. The train passed through
the living drift in safety. When II
backed up to see il any Of the cattle
were hurt fifty seven dead steers were
counted.